For convenience and manageability, the SMS 2.0 tools have been divided into several broad categories. It is important to note that many of the tools could be listed under more than one category but are listed only once under the best matching category. Therefore, it is important to familiarize yourself with all SMS 2.0 tools by reviewing the list of categories and the brief descriptions of each tool.
When categorizing tools, many factors are considered, including the purpose of the tool, the product area it services, and specific installation considerations. Because the Microsoft BackOffice Resource Kit 4.5 Setup options allow you to install tools by category, the tool categories also represent logical groupings of tools that you might want to install together.
SMS 2.0 tools are organized using the following categories:
Each of these categories is listed with a short description of the tools that belong in the category. In addition to the short descriptions, each tool is described in more detail within its category. Detailed descriptions of the first three categories are presented in this chapter and the rest of the categories are presented in Chapter 14.